Use camera modes on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Learn how to use the camera modes on your device — like Portrait, pano, and slo-mo.

Find the perfect mode for your moment

The camera modes built directly into your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch help you take the ideal photo or video. Swipe left or right on the camera screen to use the different modes. You can choose from photo, square, pano, video, time-lapse, and slo-mo. And on your iPhone 7 Plus and later, photos look better than ever thanks to the depth-of-field effect in Portrait mode.

Before you start, make sure that you have the latest version of iOS so you can access the Camera app features.

Photo

Your camera automatically focuses the image and adjusts the exposure based on what you’re pointing it towards. That way, you always start with a brightly lit photo.

You can change the camera focus and exposure to a specific area. Before you take the photo, tap the place on the screen that you want to adjust. If you want to keep the focus and exposure in the same spot, press and hold on the screen until you see AE/AF Lock.

Portrait

On iPhone 7 Plus and later, Portrait mode uses dual cameras to create a depth-of-field effect. This composes a photo that keeps your subject sharp with a blurred background. If you have iPhone X or later, you can also take a selfie in Portrait mode with the front-facing TrueDepth camera.

Open the Camera app and swipe to Portrait mode. Move farther away from your subject if the app suggests it. When the Depth Effect box turns yellow, take the picture.

With iPhone 8 Plus and later, you can make your Portrait mode images even more captivating with studio-quality lighting effects. After you take your photo, tap Edit and choose from Studio Light, Contour Light, Stage Light*, or Stage Light Mono*.

Square

Square mode limits the frame of your camera screen to a square — the optimal photo size for many social media apps. So when you take a photo, you can quickly share it on your favorite social platforms.

Pano

Want to capture a breathtaking landscape, but the entire view won't fit on your camera screen? Use pano mode to get a stunning wide angle photo.

Pano mode gives you a guide bar in the middle of the screen to help you take your photo. If you want to start the photo from the left, make sure the arrow is pointing to the right. If you want to start from the right, tap the arrow and change its direction.

Tap the shutter button and slowly move your camera in a straight line from one side of your shot to the next. Try to keep the arrow on the yellow guide bar.

Video

Shoot quality movies with the amazing camera that's built into every iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. When you go to any video mode, the shutter button turns from white to red. Tap the shutter once to start recording and tap it again to stop.

Want to speed up your video or slow it down? You might like slo-mo or time-lapse instead.

Slo-mo

Make your favorite moments last longer with slow-motion videos. Your video records as normal. But when you play it back, you see the slo-mo effect. You can even edit your video so that the slo-mo action starts and stops at a time you choose.

Time-lapse

Capture footage at selected intervals to create a time‑lapse video that’s quick and easy to share. When you go to time-lapse mode and tap the shutter button, your camera periodically takes photos until you tap the shutter button again.